Your FB status shows personality traits
People who post Facebook status updates about their romantic partner are likely to have low self-esteem, while those who brag about diets, exercise and accomplishments are typically narcissists, according to new research. Psychologists at Brunel University london surveyed Facebook users to examine the personality traits and motives that influence the topics they choose to write about in their status updates, something that few previous studies have explored. The data was collected from 555 Facebook users who completed online surveys measuring the ‘Big Five’ personality traits — extroversion, neuroticism, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness, as well as self-esteem and narcissism. The research found people with low self-esteem more frequently posted status updates about their current romantic partner. Narcissists more frequently updated about their achievements, which was motivated by their need for attention and validation from the Facebook community.
Breastfeeding protects from pollution
A new study has suggested that breastfeeding may lessen the negative impact of some environmental pollutants common to high-traffic areas. The University of the Basque Country’s researcher Aitana lertxundi set out to study the developmental repercussions of exposure to PM2.5 pollution particle matter and NO2 in the first years of life. Among the results, she found an inverse relationship between exposure to pollution particle matter and babies’ motor development and also studied the effects of NO2 on mental development. In babies who were breastfed for at least four months, neither the PM2.5 particle matter nor the NO2 were shown to have a harmful effect for at least four months.
Memories and food choices are related
A new study says that if your memory of a certain food is stronger, you are more likely to go for it even if it may be an unattractive option. Psychologists conducted a study on how memory influences our choices by offering various foods and using scans to track brain activity. The influence of memory is mediated by increasing communication between the relevant brain areas. The neural and cognitive mechanism of our decision-making process had not been studied in depth until now. In 2013, a study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics said that what other people around us eat may influence our own food choices. A new study says that if your memory of a certain food is stronger, you are more likely to go for it even if it may be an unattractive option.
